Sanitary dispenser



H. REHRIG ET AL July 2s, 1942.

SANITARY DISPENSER l m l/ ff 4 /l xJ m Z s I l v rnJ 6,

Patente-cl .uly 28, 1942 l' SANITARY DISPENSER Houston Rehrig, Alhambra,and Eugene H. Hudson, Jr., Huntington Park, Calif.

Application November 6, 1940, Serial No. 364,510

4 Claims.

This invention relates to dispensing containers for liquids,particularly liquids such as milk in which it is essential to be able tothoroughly sterilize all parts of the container. l

A general object of the invention is to provide a practicablerefrigerated dispensing container that can be easily and thoroughlysterilized.

Other more specic objects and features of the invention will becomeapparent from the detailed description to follow of certain specificembodiments of the invention.

In general, the invention comprises as its main elements an outerinsulated refrigerating case and an inner tank removable from therefrigerating case for containing the liquid to be dispensed. Liquid isdispensed from the tank through a spigot extending laterally from thebottom of the tank through a registering aperture in the case. The caseis open at the top for the removal and insertion of the tank, since thetank must be removed from the case to sterilize it. The removal of thetank is complicated by the presence of the spigot extending laterallythrough the aperture in the case. It is feasible to remove the spigotproper prior to removing the tank from the case, but it is not feasibleto completely eliminate all projecting outlet structure from the tank,because of established regulations of sanitary codes. As a result ofsuch codes, it is necessary to have formed integral with the tank aprojecting outlet fitting to which the spigot is detachably fastened.Such an outlet tting must, therefore, be provided for in any commercialdispensing container.

According to the present invention, we provide a dispensing unit thetankof which has a laterally projecting outlet connection, but we soconstruct the tank and or the case as to provide for the free verticalmovement into and out of the case without interference.

One method in accordance with the invention for providing for suchremoval is to construct the case with a vertically extending slot in itsinner wall to accommodate the outlet connection.

Still another method in accordance with the invention is to indent theportion of the Wall of the tank immediately adjacent the outletconnection, whereby although the outlet connection projects from theadjacent portion of the Wall of the tank, it does not project beyond theprojected plane of the main portion of the tank surface.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view with portions broken away of oneembodiment of the invention with the spigot removed.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View of the device taken substantially inthe plane II-II of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken in the plane III-III of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal detailed section taken in the plane IV--IV ofFig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a detailed vertical section similar to Fig. 2, but showing amodified construction.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the structure thereindisclosed comprises as its main elements, an outer case I and an innertank 2, both being approximately cylindrical in general shape.

The tank 2 is open at the top and capped with a lid 3. It has a slopingbottom wall 4 and at the lowermost edge is provided with an outletfitting 5. The fitting 5 consists of a tubular member welded or solderedto the tank and having a threaded ange 6 and a conical seat I for theattachment of a spigot 8. Thus the spigot 8 may have a stem 9, theextreme end of which is tapered to seal against the seat l. A union nutIll engages a flange on the stem 9 and is adapted to be screwed onto thethreads 6 of the outlet fitting 5.

The outer case I is of substantially larger outside diameter than thetank 2, to provide space for insulating material I I. It comprises ancuter substantially cylindrical wall I2, an outer bottom wall I3, aninner substantially cylindrical wall I4 and an inner bottom Wall I5. Theinner cylindrical wall I4 is dimensioned to t quite closely against thetank 2, and the inner bottom wall I5 is sloped to conform with the slopeof the tank bottom wall 4.

Coils of tubing I5 are provided immediately Within the wall I4 forcooling purposes, the ends of the coils being brought out through theouter wall I2 of the outer case at I1, where they may be connected toany suitable source of refrigerant. The coil I6 may be of copper, andadjacent turns of the coils may be soldered together and to the innerwall I4 to provide for rapid heat transfer between the coils `and thetank 2. It is to be understood that other materials may be used in 'lieuof solder. Thus, tar may be poured over the coils to form a heatconductive path between the coils and the wall I4. As shown to bestadvantage in Fig. 1 the coils I6 are arranged in the form of curvedpancake coils, two in num- 'ber in the particular constructiondisclosed. The two pancake coils do not completely enclose the tank 2,but are spaced apart at the front of the device immediately above theoutlet fitting 5 for a purpose next to be explained.

As shown in Fig. 2, the outer end of the outlet fitting 5 projects asubstantial distance out from the side Wall 20 of the tank, and theouter Wall I2 of the outer case is dished inwardly adjacent the fitting5 to provide room for the attachment to the fitting of the spigot 8 bymeans of the union nut I Il. Also, the inner wall I4 of the outer case Iis folded away from the wall 20 of the tank along a line extendingupwardly from the center of the recess 2| defined by the dish portion ofthe outer wall I2, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3. This provides avertical channel 22 extending upwardly from the recess 2l for thepassage of the outlet fitting 5 when the tank 2 is lifted upwardly outof the outer case.

To facilitate removal of the tank in the man- I ner described, the outercase is provided with a detachable lid 23, and the tank 2 is providedwith upwardly projecting handles 24.

When the tank 2 has been removed from the outer case, it can readily becompletely sterilized by scrubbing and scalding, since all surfaces inContact with the milk or other liquid handled can be readily reached.The spigot 8 when detached from the tank has all of Vits surfacesreadily accessible for cleaning and sterilizing.

Although the insulation efciency is slightly reduced by the provision ofthe passage 22, this s is not serious since the area of the tank 2 thatis exposed to the passage 22 is relatively small.

However, it is possible to eliminate the passage 22 while still having atank that can be as completely and thoroughly sterilized as the tank ofFigs. l to 4 by the modified structure shown in Fig. 5.

The structure of Fig. 5 corresponds in general to that of Figs. l to 4and corresponding parts bear the same reference numerals primed. In thisinstance, however, the side Wall 20' of the inner tank instead of beingcylindrical throughout, has its lower edge portion truncated asindicated at 39. With this construction, the outlet fitting 5 can extendthe requisite distance outwardly from its point of attachment to thetank, While at the same time, its outer end is Within the projectedplane of the cylindrical portion of the tank wall 20. Therefore, thewall I4 of the outer case can be shaped to contact the wall 23' over itsentire circumference, and it is merely necessary to provide a slot 3| inthat portion of the outer case juxtaposed to the slanting wall 3Q of thetank and immediately above the outlet fitting 5', to permit removal ofthe tank from the outer case.

For the purpose of explaining the invention, two specific embodimentsthereof have been described in considerable detail, but it is to beunderstood that numerous other modifications can be made while stillutilizing the advantageous features of the invention, and the latter isto be limited only to the extent set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

l. In combination, a tank having a discharge fitting extending laterallytherefrom, an open top refrigerating case for removably containing saidtank, said case having an aperture in its lateral Wall registering withsaid discharge fitting when the tank is positioned fully within thecase, and a spigot attachable to and detachable from said dischargefitting while the latter is in register with said aperture, said outercase having outer and inner walls substantially parallel to and spacedfrom each other, cooling means adjacent the inner wall, insulating meansbetween said cooling means and the outer wall, said case having avertical groove in its inner surface extending upwardly from saidaperture for passage of said discharge fitting during insertion andremoval of said tank.

2. In combination, a tank having a discharge fitting extending laterallytherefrom, an open top refrigerating case for removably containing saidtank, said case having an aperture in its lateral wall registering withsaid discharge fitting when the tank is positioned fully within thecase, a spigot attachable to and detachable from said discharge fittingwhile the latter is in register with said aperture, said case comprisinginsulating walls of substantial thickness over` the major portion of itslateral area and having its outer surface dished inwardly adjacent saidaperture to provide a recess for attachment of said spigot to saiddischarge fitting, said tank substantially filling said case laterally,whereby it cannot be moved laterally within the case to release saiddischarge fitting from said aperture, and said case having a grooveextending upwardly from said recess for passage of said dischargefitting during removal and insertion of said tank.

3. In combination, a tank having a discharge fitting extending laterallytherefrom, an open top refrigerating case for removably containing saidtank, said case having an aperture in its lateral wall registering withsaid discharge f1tting when the tank is positioned fully within thecase, a spigot attachable to and detachable from said discharge fittingwhile the latter is in register with said aperture, said tank fillingsaid case laterally so that it is removable from the case only bystraight upward movement, said tank wall being reentrant immediatelyadjacent said discharge fitting, whereby the outer end of said fittinglies within the downwardly projecting plane of the main portion of thelateral surface of the tank above said fitting.

4. The combination as described in claim 3, in which said case also hasa reentrant wall to conform with the reentrant portion of said tankWall.

HOUSTON REHRIG. EUGENE H. HUDSON, Je;

